Shoe heel having a replaceable tread part



p 1964 o. MELCHIORRE SHOE HEEL HAVING A REPLACEABLE TREAD PART Filed Aug. 31, 1961 INVENTOR. 0411 15/90 416261910882 Amen/42' United States Patent 3,148,462 SHGE HEEL HAVING A REkLACEABLE TREAD PART Olivier-o Melchior-re, Naples, Itaiy, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Ailerton Investment Corp, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Aug. 31, 1961, Ser. No. 135,290 1 Claim. (Cl. 3636) The present invention relates generally to shoes and more particularly to an improved shoe heel construction.

A shoe heel is customarily built up in layers whereof the bottom layer, herein referred to as the heel base, is fastened to the sole of the shoe and is usually made from leather. The top layer, herein referred to as the heel, is ordinarily nailed to the heel base and is usually of a molded rubber-base composition. Such heels even if made of tough, highly wear-resistant material usually have to be replaced many times during the life of the shoe. It is a common observation that the surface of the heel does not wear evenly but that the rear edge, usually the outside rear edge, wears first, and it would be highly advantageous to be able readily to replace the worn part of the heel. It is, accordingly, a general object of the present invention to provide a heel construction such that the wear-receiving portion of the heel is readily replaceable by the wearer.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a two-piece heel whereof the tread part is replaceable and is interchangeable between the right and left shoes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a latching arrangement particularly well adapted to releasably securing a replaceable tread part of a heel to a part permanently aflixed to the shoe.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof shown in the attached drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the two-part heel in accordance with the present invention shown in assembled condition;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of the assembled heel of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in longitudinal section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view in cross section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view partly in section of the heel showing the position of the interlocking elements prior to engagement.

As will be seen by referring to the drawing, the twopart wear portion of a heel comprises a fixed part nailed to the underlying heel base 11 (indicated in dotted lines) and a replaceable, generally arcuate tread part 12. The two mating, interlocking parts 16 and 12 may be made of any material from which commercial one-piece heels customarily are made such as hard rubber, polyethylene, vinyl plastic and the like. For the purposes of the present invention the fixed part 10 may suitably be made of any fairly rigid moldable material, and the tread part 12 may be made of any moldable material that is wear-resistant and possesses shock-absorbing resiliency. For most applications the two parts may suitably be made of the same material.

The mating surfaces of the parts 10 and 12 are provided with cooperating guide means and releasable retaining means as better seen in FIG. 5 comprising a pair of spaced, forwardly tapering guide projections 14 and 15 on the tread part 12 and correspondingly shaped guide grooves 16 and 17 in the fixed part 143. Intermediate the guide projections 14 and 15 on the tread part 12 is a pair "ice of spaced hooked fingers 18 and 19 separated by an elongated guide slot 20 and adapted to engage and be deflected inwardly by a pair of cam surfaces 22 and 23 on the fixed part, merging, respectively, into transverse forwardly facing shoulders 24 and 25 adapted to engage the hooked fingers 18 and 19 for retaining the tread part 12 in engagement with the fixed part 10 as shown in dashed outline in FIG. 1.

The guide grooves 16 and 17, the cam surfaces 22 and 23 and the shoulders 24 and 25 extend only partly through the thickness of the fixed part 10 from the surface that engages the heel base, the remaining portion of the thickness extending rearwardly to form an overhang 27 terminating in a central trapezoid 28 merging at each side into laterally and rearwardly extending edges 29 and 30 and constituting a continuous flange from one side of the fixed part to the other. The surface of the tread part 12 is correspondingly recessed to receive the overhanging flange of the fixed part 10. The flange 27 serves to clamp the tread part 12 firmly against the heel base 11 and at the same time through its continuous sealing engagement with the part 12 prevent dust and dirt particles and liquids from getting into the intermeshing surfaces of the two parts.

A generally rectangular brace and guide projection 32 integral with the flange 28 extends downwardly therefrom to the full thickness of the fixed part 19 and is of such Width as to fit fairly snugly within the guide slot 20. The rearward edge of the projection 32 is spaced inwardly from the rearward edge of the flange 28. The projection 32 limits the flexure of the fingers 18 and 19 as the fingers engage the cam surfaces 22 and 23 during the assembling movements of the two parts. The projection 32 thus acts as a fulcrum for the two fingers 18 and 19 as they are deflected inwardly by the cam surfaces 22 and 23 and bias the hooked fingers into engagement with the shoulders 24 and 25. The projection 32 also provides a convenient nailing point well back on the fixed part of the heel to brace the part of the flange 28 where it will receive maximum stress during use.

Recesses 34 are provided in the top surface of the fixed part 16 to locate the nails for afiixing it to the bottom lift 11 as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 3. The nailing recess for the projection 32 should be placed near the rear edge thereof for maximum strength.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention the replaceable tread part 12 is made symmetrical about the longitudinal center line of the assembled heel so that the peripheral arcs of the tread part from the rear center thereof on each side are identical. This permits the tread parts to be used interchangeably on the right and left shoes which results in savings to the manufacturer and added convenience and lower cost to the merchandiser, cobbler and public. Since most people wear the treads on the two shoes on opposite sides of the longitudinal centerlines, usually on the outside of both heels, an added advantage of the present invention is that the replaceable treads on the right and the left shoes may be interchanged after they have received some wear thus almost doubling the life thereof.

It has been found that in heels in accordance with the present invention as illustrated herein the tread part will be held securely in place during use even though it may be readily removed by simply pulling it rearwardly by hand. The retaining force may of course be increased by making the interlocking projections larger or by making the two parts of a more rigid material or by making the locking fingers wider and thicker or by decreasing the distance between the cam surfaces 24 and 25 and the guide and brace portion 32 to increase the force with which the hooked fingers are forced into engagement with the shoulders 24 and 25. It has been found advantageous to make the tread portion 12 somewhat thicker than the fixed portion as indicated in FIG. 3.

It is contemplated that each of the two parts of the heel be of a molded construction although each may of course be assembled in two layers, one layer of each part comprising the interlocking members and the other layer comprising the portion forming the overhang on the fixed part and the portion interfitting with the overhang on the tread part. This construction permits the two-part heel in accordance with the present invention to be made up from stamped parts of non-moldable material.

It will be apparent from the above description of one embodiment of the present invention that various modifications may be made therein Without departing from the true scope of the invention. Thus, for example, the guide projections may both be formed on the fixed part or one projection on one part and the other on the other part. Similarly, the hooks of the hooked fingers may be made to extend inwardly instead of outwardly as illustrated with corresponding relocation of the retaining shoulders and of the brace member.

Furthermore, either or both of the guide projections and the guide recesses therefor may be provided With interlocking hooks and shoulders or other retaining means such as a circular recess at the end of the guide projection with a restricted opening for snapping over a cylindrical projection located within the guide recesses. Other modifications within the scope of the present invention will readily be apparent to those skilled in the art from the above description.

Having thus described the present invention, What is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent A composite heel for a shoe having a heel base comprising a main part adapted to be aflixed to the heel base, a tread part, and means for releasably securing said parts together comprising a pair of resilient hooked fingers on said tread part, means on said main part for engaging and releasably retaining said fingers, a guide groove between said fingers, a pair of guide projections on said tread member, grooves in said main part for receiving said guide projections, an integral flange on said main part extending over and beyond said securing means, an integral projection extending downwardly from said flange received within said guide groove between said fingers for biasing said fingers into engagement with said finger engaging and retaining means and for providing a rearward securing point for said main part, said flange extending rearwardly of said projection, and a flangereceiving recess in said tread part, said flange retaining said tread part in engagement with the heel base and preventing ingress of foreign matter to said securing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,676,928 Ryan July 10, 1928 1,685,871 Asher Oct. 2, 1928 2,183,218 Hewson Dec. 12, 1939 2,247,555 Kelley July 1, 1941 2,495,820 Peretti et al. Ian. 31, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 16,966 Great Britain July 27, 1906 325,095 Great Britain Feb. 13, 1930 477,164 Italy Jan. 13, 1953 

